Nutcracker



June 17, 1930. ASHLEMAN 1,764,238

NUTCRACKER F iled Dec 27, 1928 Patented June 17, 1930 UNITED STATESADOLPH E. ASHLEMAN, OF WAOO, TEXAS nurcmcxnn Application filed December27, 1928. Serial No. 328,722.

This invention aims to provide a simple 'ClGVlCB for cracklng nuts, theconstructlon being such that nuts of different slzes can be crackedreadily with the same tool. An-

other object of the'invention is to provide a nut cracker which may bemanufactured cheaply out of cheap metal.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and toenhance the to utility of devices of that type to which the inventionappertains.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that, within the scope ofwhat is claimed, changes in the precise embodiment of the inventionshown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 shows in side elevation, a toolconstructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is an elevation wherein the tool is viewed edgewise;

Figure 3 is an elevation which shows the opposite side of the tool fromthat appearing in Figure 1.

The tool forming the subject matter of this application is soconstructed that it may be made cheaply out of sheet metal, and stillhave the necessary strength. The tool is made up of a pair of crossedlevers, pivotally connected at their point of crossing. The bodies ofthe levers are shown, respectively, at 1 and at 2, and are of simpleplate-like construction. The body members 1 are connected by a pivotelement 3 which may be a. bolt and nut or any other element suitable forthe purpose in view.

The body 1 has a trough-shaped handle 4 and the body 2 has atrough-shaped handle 5. The body 1 has a laterally projecting lug 7through which is removably extended a U-shaped expansion spring 8including arms having their ends engaged within the trough-shapedhandles 4 and 5, as shown in dotted line in Figure 3. In order that thespring 8' may be inserted conveniently through the lug 7 and then beengaged conveniently with the handles 4 and 5, the handles are cut away,as at 9, upon the same side of the tool,at the place where they join therespective bodies 1 2. It is importantforthe handles 4:-5"t0 be cutawayat a bevel at 9, since, in this way, the requisite amount of space willbe provided, as

indicated by the dotted line at '20 in Figure 3, and. at the same time,the handles will not be appreciably weakenedat the places where they arejoined to the respective bodies 12.

The body 2hasa transverse en'd jawv 10,

the body 1 has a transverse end jaw 11, the 6 body 2 has an outer sidejaw'12, thebody 1 hasan outer side jaw 14, the body 2 hasan nner sidejaw 15, and the body '1 has an inner side jaw 16. The jaws 1011'form onecooperating pair, the jaws 14-15 form another cooperating pair, and thejaws 12-16 form another cooperating pair. The jaws -10111 are spaced,apart more widely than are the jaws 1216, and less widely than are thejaws 1415. This enables the tool to operate on nuts of many differentsizes with a minimum amount of swinging movement in the handles it- 5;The working surfaces of the jaws, preferably are roughened to hold thenuts that are to be cracked.

In forming the jaws, the bodies 1 and 2 i are provided with projections17, the ends of which are turned at right angles, and when theprojections 17 are turned outwardly, bends 18 are created, which bringthe geometrical centers of the working surfaces of the jaws very near tothe median plane of the tool, the median plane of the tool beingmarkedby the numeral 19 in Figure 2, in order to avoid any misunderstanding asto What is meant by that term. In the practical manufacture of the tool,some or all of the jaws on one body may engage, as shown at 21, with theother body to limit the amount that the jaws open, responsive to thespring 8.

As shown at 22, the projections 17 on the body 1 overlap thecorresponding projections on the body 2, and, thus, the projectionsreinforce and strengthen each other.

Although the tool has been described as a nut cracker, there is nothingto prevent the operator from using it as a Wrench, if he Wishes to doso. It is to be noted, moreover, that the body portions 1 and 2 havecooperating holes 6 Whichenable the article to be used as a cutter. 1

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is V 1. A tool ofthe class described, comprising pivotally connected heads having'c'ooperating jaws, and handles joined to the heads, the handles beingtrough-shaped in cross section, one head having a laterally projectinglug, and a U-shaped spring engaged removably through the lug, the springcomprising arms received at their ends in the trough-shaped handles, thehandles being cut away on a bevel on the same side of the tool at theplace of juncture between the handles and the heads, thereby to renderthe lug accessible, and to facilitate the insertion of the springthrough the lug.

2. A tool of the class described, comprising pivotally connected bodieshaving cooperating handles, the bodies being provided with projections,the ends of which are turned-at right angles, in opposite directions, toform jaws, there being bends at the places where the projections areturned, the bends serving to bring the geometrical centers of theworking surfaces of the jaws close to the median plane of the tool.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixedmy slgnature. 7

- ADOLPH E. ASHLEMAN.

